Ventilator for water closets



C. J. MAJAUSKAS VENTILATOR FOR WATER CLOSETS May 26, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 5, 1950 WZaIM ENTOR:

v J MM ATTORNEYS.

May 26, 1953 c. J. MAJAUSKAS VENTILATOR FOR WATER CLOSETS '2 Sheets-Sheet 2 a 70 a 6 m a a W a a z a "a... 2% Ill/47% M m a i=2: 1 I. w ll nm lz I.. g f V I N VEN TOR.

BY ATTORNEYS.

Patented May 26, 1953 l.

UNITED STATES PATENT-OFFICE Charles J. Majauskas, Chicago, I11. I

Application May 5, 1950, Serial No. 160,198 r Various forms of equipment have been 4 Claims. (01. 4-213) are to provide an improved ventilator for water closets, the functioning of which is initiated at the time the closet is put in use; to provide a ventilator of this kind having an improved compact arrangement of a motor-driven blower and a nor- 'vent valve; to provide an improved ventilator of this kind having a safety valve for preventing a surge of flushing water from reaching the blower; and to provide an improved Ventilator of this kind which is simple and compact in construction, hence economical to manufacture, easy to install, and effective in functioning.

In the particular embodiment of this invention, shown in theaccompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of this improved water closet ventilator shown mounted on a wall adjacent and connected to a water closet bowl and flush tank;

Figure 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional detail of the safety valve fitting adapted for interposition in the flush water pipe and which prevents a surge of the flushing water from reaching to the blower;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the valve memher for the same removed from the fitting;

Figure 4 is a section through the ventilator housing taken on the plane of the line 4-4 of Fig. 1, showing in elevation the motor-driven blower and the solenoid operated vent valve;

. the ventilator unit I, a safety valve fitting 8, and a seat-operated switch mean$ 9. designed for altinlet 36 for the closet bowl I0.

tachment and operation to effect the ventilation of a water closet bowl II] to the conventional vent stack I I at the time the closet is put into use.

The ventilator unit 1 comprises a housing I2 wherein is mounted a blower I3, driven by a motor I4, and a vent valve fitting I5, the valve I6 of which is actuated by a solenoid II.

The housing I2, as herein shown, is of rectangular form. Its open top permits the insertion and appropriate location of the parts just described. A hood IIl telescopes with the vertical walls of the main part of the housing I2 to form a closure for the open top thereof. The housing is provided with suitably placed aperturesthrough which fastening means may be inserted for attaching the unit to a wall 69.

The blower I3, preferably of the impeller type, is directly mounted on the motor l4, which is supported on a base spaced above the bottom of the housing I2. The blower I3 has its exhaust 20-extending exteriorly of the housing I2 for connection with the vent stack II.

The motor I4 is a conventional, fractional horsepower motor adapted for small units of this kind. It has associated therewith a condenser 2I interposed between the wires 22 to a source of electrical power and the wires 23 to the switch mechanism I The wires 23 enter the housing I2 through a section of conduit secured to thehousing I2 by a fastening means 23.I

The vent valve fitting I5 is directly connected to the intake 24 of the blower I3 and has a nipple 25 extending exteriorly of the housing I2 which is connected to the safety valve fitting 8 by a pipe 26. The valve It is arranged for vertical movement in the fitting I5 so that gravity normally urges the valve head 21 to rest on the seat 28 thereby closing communication between the bowl Ill and the vent stack II when the motor I4 is idle.

The solenoid I! is located in the housing I2 below the valve fitting I5, and is energized concurrently with the blower motor I4 to open valve I6.

Its armature 29 is connected to a bell crank lever 30 pivoted at 3I and attached to a stem 32 of the valve I6.

The safety valve fitting 8 is of a construction substantially such as shown in Patent No.

' 2,449,134. This fitting is approximately T-shaped with a main part 33 and a stem part 34. The main part 33 is threaded so that it may be conveniently inserted in the flush water pipe 35 which leads from a source of water to the flush water This source of flush Water may be either a tank 31 such as shown in Figure 1, or it. may be a valve-scontrolledrwater 3 pressure source, such as is commonly used for water closets, particularly in large buildings and institutions.

The valve 38 comprises a disk-shaped cap part 39 and a lever 40 secured in axially spaced relationship on opposite sides of a hinge pin 4|. The hinge pin 4| mounts the valve 38 so that the cap part 39 is disposed to close the end of the port. 42 in the fitting stem port 94 and locates the lever 40 in the main'part 33. A suitable gasket 39.! is secured to the cap 39 to seal the port 42. A weight 43 on the back of the cap part 39 normally holds the valve 38 with the cap part 39 retracted from the port 42, whereby communication is normally open from the closet bowl I through the port 42, the connecting pipe 26 and the vent valve fitting I5. The lever 40 is so shaped and dimensioned that when the closet is flushed the surge of water through the fitting 33 will cause the lever 40 to. shift the cap. 39' to close the port 42, preventing any back-flow 01 water up through the pipe '26 into the fitting l5 from'whence the water might reach the mechanism in the housing '12. inspection port 44 .in which is secured .a threaded plug 45. (see Fig. 1).

The seat-operated switch means 9. comprises a pair of posts-43 and ll'1j,an'd a pair of seat hinge brackets. '48 connected at the ends of a shaft. 49, supported. in bearings '59 offset vfrom the respective posts 46. (and AT.

The posts 43.:an'd 41, are identical, except that one is right-hand and the other left-hand, as most clearly showniin Fig. '6 Each is .provided. with a chambered hub part .5l' .ofiset. from a channelled stem 52. The stems 52. have .a downwardextending portion. 53 with threads .54 whereby the posts may be secured on .the rim 550i the bowl 0 by nuts-56.v

A plunger 51 having an integral pin 5.8 is mounted in each of the chambered hub parts of posts lii andA'l, with plungerpin 58 extending exteriorl-y parallel to the post.stem 52:. .A spring 59 is compressed against each. -plunger 51- by a threaded plug 69 so that the plunger pin 58 isvnorinallyrdepressed. The :seat brackets -48i..are attached .to the rear underside of a seat :62. Tongues 5| on these-brackets normally contact the plunger pins 58 so was to dispose :the seat 52118.13 :a slight angle to thetop of thesb'owlc-lfl. The construction can, of course, be .suchas to allow tongue .61 to break'contact with. plunger 53 and :permit the seat '52 to be raised to a verticalaposition.

Each of theposts 46 and 24.1 is-closed =at.:its

upper end by-a threaded cap 53. Withincne of these vcaps, which as hereinshown isfonpost 46, is an insulating block B4 mounting ..a pair of electrical contacts '65 and. 65: which areradapted to be closed bya switcharm :61 .ractuated-byla switch .pin 68 adjustably supported .on .the plunger 51. The wire .23 leads up through the channelled stem 52 of the post 45 to thelcontacts [i5 and 66.

Thisiimproved ventilator unit 1 .may. baconveniently secured at .any suitable ;-point on the wall 69, .more. or less .out of the way from a water closet bowl to, flushing water for which is supplied from a ltankyi'f, .ashereinrshown, or from .a valve-controlled water pressure "line. Or, on occasion, the ventilating, vuriit couldibe associated with an overhead flushing water tank. Mounting :the housing v.on "the wall '59, or course, will necessitate cutting a hole'through The stem part 34 of the fitting 8 has an r the wall 69 to permit the exhaust 20 of the blower I3 to be connected to the usual vent stack H. Also, it will require the cutting of a hole sufficient to provide for the Wires 22 leading to a source of electricity.

The safety valve fitting 8 would be interposed in the flush water pipe 35 and connected to the nipple 25 of the valve fitting [5 by the pipe 26. The pipe 2:6 preferably would be of brass or copper so that it could be bent to the desired shape, to span these connections. Each end would be connected to these respective parts by the usual slip nut.

It will be seen from the foregoing description that the operation is as follows. Seat 62 is depressed causing tongue 61 of bracket 43 to raise plunger pin 58 against the action of spring 59. 2 Switch pin 68 will force up switch arm 61 closing electrical contacts 65 and 66 energizing solenoid l1 and motor'14 of blower I3.

Upon energizing solenoid l1, armature 29 will actuate lever 36 opening valve l6 Valve 3&1, between the hush water pipeand ventilating unit 'I', will be opened due to gravity acting on weight 43 and the lack of flushing water in the flush water pipe 35. This completes an open circuit for evacuating gases from water closet bowl til into vent pipe H through the flush water pipe '35, through valve 39, through pipe 25', through valve 15, through blower 3, into vent pipe 11.

When the flushing water enters pipe 35, valve 38 will be closed due to the action of thefiushing water on lever ill, thus cutting off the open circuit and preventing water from yentering the ventilating unit. When seat '62 is released, spring 59' opens the electrical contacts"65 and 66 by retracting lsw'itchpin B8 and raises seat 62 .at an angle by causing plunger pin 58 to bear on tongue 6].

Variations and modifications ,in the details of thev structure and arrangement oi the parts may be resorted .to within the spirit and coverage of'tlie appended claims.

.l. ventilator fora water .clesetbowlincluding, a motor driven blower having an intakeand an exhaust communicating withthe closet "bowl and with a vent stack respectively; the" combination therewith of a vertically disposed :pair of posts mounted on said bowl and "having chambered hub parts offset from channeled stems ex ;tending through a rim portion of said bowl, plungers within saidhubshaving pinsextendi'ng downwardly below sai'dhubs, 1 seathinges; pivotally secured to said posts, tongues on ,said hinges normally contactingithe"lower ends ,of said pins, springs disposed within said hubsand urging said pins downwardly topartially raise the bowl seat,v an insulating block mounting a pair of spaced electrical contacts and disposed within the upperpart of the hub of-gone of said postsywires extending "through the channeled stem of said one post "connected to-said contacts and connected to the motor, and :an insulating member carried ,by said plunger in" said one-post and'adapted'to close contacts whensaid seat is depressed against the action of *said' springs.

;2". A ventilator for a water -c-l'oset"-bowl *includ- 'ing' a housing*adaptedyto-be mounted on a building wall adjacent to a vent stack, -a--vent-val've fitting disposed within said 'housing'and having an inletand-outlet, a motor disposedwithinsaid housing; a blower driven by said motor-and having. inlet and-outletports, meansto connect *the inlet and outlet of said valve fitting to said bowl and inlet port of said blower respectively, means to connect the outlet of said blower to said vent stack, a valve within said valve fitting biased to close communication between said bowl and blower, an actuating arm on said valve extending through said valve fitting, a solenoid within said housing having its armature connected to said actuating arm and adapted to move the valve to open position when the solenoid is energized, and an electrical switch operable to energize said motor and solenoid and thereby drive said blower and move said valve to an open position.

3. In a ventilator for a water closet bowl including a housing adapted to be mounted on a building wall adjacent to a vent stack, a vent valve fitting disposed within said housing and having an inlet and outlet, a motor disposed within said housing, a blower driven by said motor and having inlet and outlet ports, means to connect the inlet and outlet of said valve fitting to said bowl and inlet port of said blower respectively, means to connect the outlet of said blower to said vent stack, a valve within said valve fitting biased to close communication between said bowl and blower, an actuating arm on said valve extending through said valve fitting, a solenoid within said housing having its armature connected to said actuating arm, a vertically disposed pair of posts mounted on said bowl and having chambered hub parts offset from channeled stems extending through a rim portion of said bowl, plungers within said hubs having pins extending below said hubs, seat hinges pivotally secured to said posts, tongues on said hinges normally contacting the lower ends of said pins, springs disposed within said hubs and urging said pins downwardly to partially raise the bowl seat, an insulating block mounting a pair of spaced electrical contacts and disposed within the upper part of the hub of one of said posts, wires extending through the channeled stem of said one post connected to said contacts and connected to the motor and solenoid in said housing, and an insulating member carried by said plunger in said one post and adapted to close said contacts when said seat is depressed against the action of said springs to energize said motor and solenoid and thereby drive said blower and open said valve.

4. The combination as set forth in claim 3, in which the communication between the vent valve and the bowl includes a conduit supplying fiushing water to said bowl, and in which a safety valve is interposed between the blower and the bowl, said safety valve including an actuator located in said stream of flushing water and adapted to close said communication whenever flushing water is flowing.

CHARLES J. MAJAUSKAS.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,111,746 Haas Sept. 29, 1914 1,362,290 Gritton Dec. 14, 1920 1,424,955 VanEck Aug. 8, 1922 1,883,406 Ronning Oct. 18, 1932 2,047,067 Harris July 7, 1936 2,181,017 Hill Nov. 21, 1939 2,216,008 Heuhacker Sept. 24, 1940 2,227,920 Baither Jan. 7, 1941 2,240,130 Carothers Apr. 29, 1941 2,449,134 Majauskas Sept. 14, 1948 2,454,333 Moon Nov. 23, 1948 

